Best Iron Light Labs Podcasts (2025)

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Insulin cream offers needle-free option for diabetes 42:05

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9m ago42:05

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00:45 A molecule that delivers insulin through the skin Researchers have developed a skin-permeable polymer that can deliver insulin into the body, which they say could one day offer an alternative to injections for diabetes management. The skin’s structure presents a formidable barrier to the delivery of large drugs but in this work a team show th…

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New genome of ancient human; 95% of us have a dormant virus that causes disease; Formula E cars faster than F1; Bill Bryson joins the pod! 45:02

5d ago45:02

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Episode 332 For only the second time, the genome of an ancient Denisovan has been sequenced - thanks to the discovery of a 200,000-year-old tooth found in a Siberian cave. This ancient member of the human family has long been a mystery, so this genome is being described as a bombshell moment, revealing an early stage of Denisovan history. We explor…

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‘Malicious use is already happening’: machine-learning pioneer on making AI safer 15:06

13m ago15:06

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Yoshua Bengio, considered by many to be one of the godfathers of AI, has long been at the forefront of machine-learning research . However, his opinions on the technology have shifted in recent years — he joins us to talk about ways to address the risks posed by AI, and his efforts to develop an AI with safety built in from the start. Nature: ‘It k…

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Why the claims about Hitler’s genome are misleading 29:00

6d ago29:00

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Episode 331 This week sees the broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK of a documentary called Hitler’s DNA: Blueprint of a dictator. Geneticists have managed to find a DNA sample from Adolf Hitler and have sequenced it and verified it, and now we have his genome. The big question is what does this really tell us – what can we tell from someone’s genome? …

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Huge eruption on a distant star confirmed at last 33:51

3h ago33:51

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00:45 A coronal mass ejection from a distant star Researchers have detected what they say is the strongest evidence yet of a coronal mass ejection (CME) coming from a star other than our Sun. CMEs are massive bursts of fast-moving plasma that can be detected thanks to the characteristic radio signal they produce. However, despite decades of searchi…

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COP30: The world's climate future hinges on this meeting 31:30

13d ago31:30

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Episode 330 COP30 is nearly upon us - and this climate conference may be the most crucial so far. In a year where we’ve seen the first major global tipping point reached, destructive wildfires raging in Los Angeles and much more, joint action has never been more urgent. But as hope starts to wane and climate goals continue to be missed, many are qu…

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Meet the ‘Wee-rex’. Tiny tyrannosaur is its own species 28:48

8d ago28:48

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00:45 The debate around Nanotyrannus A hotly debated species of dinosaur, assumed by many to be a juvenile T. rex, is actually a separate species, according to new research. Nanotyrannus was a dinosaur anatomically similar to T. rex, but about a tenth of the size, leading many to argue it was a young version of the iconic species. However, examinat…

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The collapse of America’s health data system; How sleep affects your focus; Life on Mars in liquid veins? 23:51

20d ago23:51

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Episode 329 America’s health data system is in crisis. The US government has been bleeding public health experts – many of whom run crucial public health surveys and databases which help identify, monitor and respond to health threats across the country. From drug use to food security and birth data, discover the 5 surveys most critically hit by th…

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Bowhead whales can live for more than 200 years – this protein might be why 22:50

15d ago22:50

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00:47 How bowhead whales live so long Researchers have uncovered a protein that enhances DNA repair and may explain how bowhead whales can live more than 200 years. The protein, cold-induced RNA-binding protein, was shown to enhance repair of double stranded DNA breaks, a particularly troublesome kind of damage. The team showed that this protein co…

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How mRNA vaccines teach your body to kill cancer; Grim state of climate action; Why birds sing the dawn chorus 29:20

27d ago29:20

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Episode 328 Not only has the mRNA covid vaccine saved 14 million lives, it may also help our bodies fight off cancer. A study of cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy treatment showed those who received an mRNA vaccine lived nearly twice as long - and this effect was discovered by accident. In a trial of cancer vaccines, Elias Sayour’s team at t…

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Audio long read: How to get the best night’s sleep — what the science says 15:33

25d ago15:33

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Advice on how to get good sleep is everywhere, with the market for sleep aids worth more than US$100 billion annually. However, scientists warn that online hacks and pricey tools aren’t always effective, and suggest that lessons learnt about the workings of a network of biological clocks found in the human body could ultimately lead to improved sle…

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Honey, I ate the kids: how hunger and hormones make mice aggressive 34:22

15d ago34:22

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00:48 How hunger, hormones and aggression interact in mouse brains Researchers have uncovered the neural mechanisms that underlie an aggressive behaviour in mice prompted by hunger and hormonal state. Virgin female mice can become aggressive towards mouse pups when they are food deprived, but it seems that the relevant amounts of pregnancy hormones…

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Neuroscience of reality; Quest for dark matter; Folklore of geoscience (New Scientist Live Special) 28:29

1M ago28:29

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Episode 327 A special episode recorded on October 18 at New Scientist Live in London, featuring experts in geoscience, dark matter and neuroscience. Anjana Khatwa is an Earth scientist and TV presenter. In her new book, The Whispers of Rock, she brings together Western scientific knowledge about the evolution of our Earth and indigenous knowledge a…

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First climate tipping point triggered; Man controls another person's body by brain implant; health worries over sumo wrestlers 34:00

1M ago34:00

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Episode 326 The world’s first major climate tipping point has been triggered. The decimation of warm water coral populations caused by rising temperatures is now irreversible - passing the point of no return. The global consequences of widescale coral dieback could be catastrophic, so experts are sounding the alarm. But is anyone listening? A man w…

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New bird flu vaccine could tackle multiple variants with one shot 22:30

22d ago22:30

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00:46 A multi-variant avian flu vaccine that could enhance pandemic preparedness A vaccine capable of protecting against multiple strains of avian influenza virus might be a step closer, according to new research. The H5 subtype of avian influenza viruses has spilled over into mammals and is particularly concerning to researchers because of the ris…

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Space 2075: How Humanity Will Live, Work and Make Drugs off-planet | Live Recording at the Royal Society 53:35

1M ago53:35

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A special episode all about the future of space exploration, recorded in front of a live audience at the Royal Society in London. Earlier this year, the Royal Society published ‘The Space: 2075 report’, which recognises the huge changes we’re seeing in space exploration, and urges for action to be taken to make sure the next 50 years of activity in…

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How Jane Goodall changed the world; How the universe ends; How “selfish sperm” affect male fertility 43:27

1M ago43:27

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Episode 324 The legendary primatologist Jane Goodall died last week aged 91, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. Her work studying tool use in chimpanzees completely reshaped the way we view animal intelligence. Fiercely protective of the natural world, she was also responsible for a huge amount of advocacy during her life. Primatologist Alejandra …

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How stereotypes shape AI – and what that means for the future of hiring 35:31

1M ago35:31

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00:48 The stereotypes hidden in Internet images Stereotyped assumptions about women’s ages and their perceived job suitability are enhanced by Internet imagery, according to new research. A study of hundreds of thousands of online images shows that women appear younger than men. This stereotype extends to the jobs that people perceive women do, wit…

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Emergency in Antarctica; How movement changes the brain; Why women live longer than men 30:56

2M ago30:56

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Episode 323 Temperatures in Antarctica have soared by over 35°C. Scientists are concerned about how quickly things are changing on the continent as these warmer temperatures impact the polar vortex. Coupled with record lows in sea ice cover over the last decade, this could be a sign that Antarctic weather patterns have shifted permanently. What’s d…

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Ancient viral DNA helps human embryos develop 33:43

1M ago33:43

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00:50 How ancient viruses drive modern human development Research suggests that ancient viral-DNA embedded in the human genome is playing a key role in early embryo development. Around 8% of our genome consists of endogenous retrovirus DNA — the remnants of ancient infections, but knowledge of their activity is limited. Now, a team show that these …

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Audio long read: Autism is on the rise — what’s really behind the increase? 25:36

1M ago25:36

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In April, Robert F. Kennedy Jr held a press conference about rising diagnoses of autism, and said he would soon be announcing a study to find the responsible agent. Although Kennedy said that environmental factors are the main cause of autism, research has shown that genetics plays a bigger part. Also, the rise in prevalence, many researchers say, …

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Skull rewrites story of human evolution; Autism and Tylenol; discovery of wind coming from black hole 33:57

2M ago33:57

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Episode 322 An ancient skull discovered in China may have just rewritten the story of human evolution. It’s widely accepted that the common ancestor of Homo sapiens, Denisovans and Neanderthals came out of Africa. But this skull upends that assumption - potentially showing human evolution began in Asia. Discover how a new reconstruction of the Yunx…

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How a dangerous tick-borne virus sneaks into the brain 32:42

1M ago32:42

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00:48 New insights into tick-borne encephalitis Researchers have identified a key protein that helps tick-borne encephalitis virus enter the brain. In rare cases an infection can lead to serious neurological symptoms, but little was known about how the virus interacts with human cells. Now, a team show that a protein found on the outside of cells p…

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Apocalypse then: how cataclysms shaped human societies 27:39

2M ago27:39

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Science journalist Lizzie Wade’s first book, Apocalypse: A Transformative Exploration of Humanity's Resilience Through Cataclysmic Events explores some of the cataclysmic events that humans have faced through history. Lizzie joined us to discuss what modern archaeology has revealed about these events, and the role these they’ve have played in shapi…

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The evolutionary price we pay for longer lives; the asteroid coming VERY close to Earth; how dinosaurs shaped the ecosystem 32:59

2M ago32:59

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Episode 321 Humans live a lot longer than other primates - and much of that is down to our immune system. But there’s a price we pay for the capacity to fight off infections: inflammation. Chronic inflammation is to blame for a range of health issues, especially those related to older age. And now research has revealed exactly why inflammation is g…

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This AI tool predicts your risk of 1,000 diseases — by looking at your medical records 35:31

2M ago35:31

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00:50 The AI tool that predicts disease risk Researchers have developed an AI tool that can calculate a person’s risk of developing over 1,000 different diseases, sometimes years in advance. The system, called Delphi-2M, was trained to identify patterns of disease progression using 400,000 people's health records from data repository the UK Biobank…

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Detecting gravitational waves 10:21

2M ago10:21

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In 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) facilities in the US directly detected ripples in space-time, known as gravitational waves. These waves were produced by the final spiral of two orbiting black holes that smashed into each other, sending ripples across the Universe. In this podcast, Benjamin Thompson speaks to …

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Why we can't announce life on Mars (yet); The Romans' impact on the British economy; Link between exercise and your microbiome 29:59

2M ago29:59

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Episode 320 Was Mars once home to alien life? The evidence is stronger than ever, since NASA’s discovery of rocks marked by patterns similar to those made by microbes on Earth. Found in an area now named Bright Angel, these rocks give us a tantalising insight into Mars’ ancient past - but just how definitive is this finding? It’s long been thought …

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Feeling the heat: fossil-fuel producers linked to dozens of heatwaves 36:39

2M ago36:39

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00:45 Attributing extreme heat events to major energy producers Major energy producers increased the likelihood and intensity of heatwaves, according to research published in Nature. Using data from an international disaster database, a team developed a methodology to investigate how much anthropogenic climate change had influenced heatwaves. They …

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Research misconduct: how the scientific community is fighting back 52:13

2M ago52:13

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In 2016, Brian Wansink wrote a blog post that prompted scientific sleuths to investigate his work. They found evidence of data manipulation, and, after several news articles and two investigations by his institution, he would found to have committed misconduct, as defined by Cornell University. His work had been used to inform US policy around food…

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Nature goes inside the world’s largest ‘mosquito factory’ — here’s the buzz 10:57

2M ago10:57

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Raising mosquitoes to tackle disease might sound like an odd concept, but that’s what a facility in Brazil is aiming to do. Millions of mosquitoes are produced there every week, but these insects carry harmless Wolbachia bacteria that curbs their ability to spread deadly human viruses. Nature reporter Mariana Lenharo visited the facility and told u…

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First complete map of brain activity; Queen ant lays eggs of another species; The perils of scrolling while on the toilet 31:10

3M ago31:10

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Episode 319 Scientists have created the first complete activity map of a mouse’s brain. Combining brain images from multiple mice, researchers recorded more than 650,000 neurons while these mice manipulated little Lego steering wheels in a driving game. This complex behaviour has allowed scientists to examine the interplay between various parts of …

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Two ants, two species, one mother 27:06

2M ago27:06

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00:45 The ant queen that can produce two different species Researchers have made an unusual observation that appears at odds with biology: an ant, known as the Iberian Harvester Ant can produce offspring of two completely different species. Many ants need to mate with other species to produce workers that are a genetic mix of the two, known as hybr…

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Scientists discovered a 100,000-year-old organism; Breakthrough brain implant uses AI to treat pain; How climate change leads to revolutions 25:50

3M ago25:50

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Episode 318 An ancient organism has been discovered that has been alive for at least 100,000 years. Found in the Siberian permafrost, this lifeform doesn’t appear to have just remained dormant - but instead has actually been growing extremely slowly. Our understanding of life is already quite fuzzy, and this finding adds to the idea that life itsel…

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Audio long read: How to detect consciousness in people, animals and maybe even AI 19:57

2M ago19:57

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The search for signs of consciousness has expanded, thanks to advanced neuroimaging techniques. These tools allow researchers to detect consciousness in unresponsive humans, and now researchers are looking to develop tests that work in animals and perhaps even artificial intelligence systems of the future. This is an audio version of our Feature: H…

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Viral spread: how rumours surged in revolutionary France 24:44

2M ago24:44

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00:48 How the 18th-Century 'Great Fear’ spread across rural France In the late 1700s, rural France was beset with rapidly spreading rumours of aristocratic plots to suppress revolutionary ideas. But how, and why, these rumours were able to spread so quickly has puzzled historians. Now, using modern epidemiological modelling, a team suggests that a …

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Could we end winter illness?; Cold fusion’s comeback; The delicious microbiome of chocolate 20:41

3M ago20:41

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Episode 317 Winter bugs are notoriously hard to vaccinate against. But as cold, flu and covid season is about to descend on us once more, one group researchers are working on an entirely new solution to the misery. A team out of Columbia University has been testing an mRNA-based treatment that could prime our immune systems to fight against any kin…

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Fusion energy gets a boost from cold fusion chemistry 19:57

3M ago19:57

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00:46 Electrochemical fusion Researchers have used electrochemistry to increase the rates of nuclear fusion reactions in a desktop reactor. Fusion energy promises abundant clean energy, but fusion events are rare, hindering progress. Now, inspired by the controversial claim of cold fusion, researchers used electrochemistry to get palladium to absor…

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Controversial climate report from Trump team galvanizes scientists into action 13:05

3M ago13:05

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In this Podcast Extra, we discuss a report released by the US Department of Energy, which concluded that global warming is “less damaging economically than commonly believed”. However, many researchers say that the report misrepresents decades of climate science. We discuss how scientists are trying to coordinate a unified response amidst concerns …

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Climate special: How to fix the climate crisis with Tim Lenton and Kate Marvel 44:25

3M ago44:25

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Episode 316 “All of the other planets out there are just complete garbage. The Earth is the only good place.” – Kate Marvel The climate crisis can leave many of us feeling hopeless and overwhelmed. But, as climate scientists Kate Marvel and Tim Lenton say, there are many reasons to be optimistic.Both have new books out that hope to reframe the way …

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Sun-powered flyers could explore the mysterious mesosphere 31:53

3M ago31:53

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00:46 Tiny solar flyer Researchers have used a phenomenon known as thermal transpiration to create a solar-powered flying device that can stay aloft without any moving parts. The diminutive device, just one centimetre across, consists of two thin, perforated membranes that allow air to flow through the device, generating lift. Although only a proof…

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Underwater glue shows its sticking power in rubber duck test 28:14

3M ago28:14

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00:45 Researchers develop a new glue and test it on a rubber duck Aided by machine learning, researchers have developed a super-sticky compound that works as an underwater adhesive. Inspired by animals like barnacles, the team developed a new kind of a material called a hydrogel. The material is capable of securely fastening objects together even w…

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80 years since Hiroshima: Forgotten victims of the atomic bomb 34:06

4M ago34:06

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Episode 315 It’s been 80 years since the first and only use of nuclear weapons in war - events that altered the course of history. The consequences of the widespread destruction, deaths and nuclear fallout are still being dealt with today. On 6th August 1945, a bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in Japan, and three days later Nagasaki was also bombed. T…

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Ozempic and Wegovy slow down biological ageing; creation of synthetic bacterium; geology of the Russian earthquake 28:24

4M ago28:24

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Episode 314 Weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy have been shown to slow down - or even reverse - the ageing process. In a trial of 84 people taking semaglutide, their biological age dropped by 3.1 years on average, with some organs becoming almost 5 years younger. Based on this new research, this finding could make these some of the most impactful…

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Earth's deepest ecosystem discovered six miles below the sea 33:03

3M ago33:03

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00:45 The deepest ecosystem ever discovered Researchers have dived down to more than 9,000 metres below the surface of the Pacific and discovered surprisingly complex communities of life living in deep ocean trenches. The new research shows an array of animal life that appears to be using methane as a source of energy. The researchers are planning …

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AI wins first gold at maths Olympic games; How mitochondria are linked to sleep; Famous psychology trick works on octopuses too 28:48

4M ago28:48

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Episode 313 AI has won gold at the world’s hardest maths event. For the first time, AI programs that use entirely natural language like ChatGPT, have used general reasoning to solve incredibly difficult tests at the International Maths Olympiad in Australia. Humans are still in the lead…for now. But could this be a big leap forward in the quest for…

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Giant laser heats solid gold to 14 times its melting point 35:38

4M ago35:38

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00:46 How hot can solid gold get? A new study suggests that gold can be superheated far beyond its melting point without it becoming a liquid. Using an intense burst from a laser, a team heated a gold foil to 14 times its melting point, far beyond a theoretical limit put forward in previous studies. The team suggest that the speed at which they hea…

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AI, bounties and culture change, how scientists are taking on errors 49:19

4M ago49:19

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A simple methodological error meant that for years researchers considered drinking moderate amounts of alcohol to be healthy. Now plenty of evidence suggests that isn't the case, but errors like this still plague the scientific literature. So, how can the scientific literature become more error-free? In the first episode of this two-part series, to…

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Scientists test engineered microbes to fight disease; Has 1.5 degrees failed?; New theory why we’ve not found aliens 30:23

4M ago30:23

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Episode 312 People have been given genetically engineered microbes to prevent a common health condition - and it worked. The gut microbiome is now known to be associated with many health conditions - and in this case, the team managed to treat 9 people who get recurring kidney stones. With the gut’s links to mental health, cancer and more, could en…

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‘Stealth flippers’ helped this extinct mega-predator stalk its prey 32:50

4M ago32:50

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In this episode: 00:48 The ancient mega-predator with a ‘stealth mode’ The extinct marine mega-predator Temnodontosaurus had specialised adaptations to stealthily hunt its prey, suggests an analysis of a fossil flipper. Although Temnodontosaurus was a member of a well-studied group of marine reptiles called ichthyosaurs, its lifestyle has been a my…